Cerebral Palsy Life Hacks-Volume 2
OXO Products
Hey guys! Welcome to our first in-depth blog post in the CP Life Hacks Series. The first company that I will be going into detail about is OXO Cookware. Cooking and baking are some of my favorite hobbies, especially in the fall (which I can’t believe is right around the corner!), and OXO products are my go to for all sorts of kitchen tools.
Back when OXO products were first created, founder Sam Farber created a peeler with a silicone handle for his wife, who had Parkinson’s disease and had trouble using a metal peeler. One of the key features to OXO products that has been around since that first peeler is their silicone non-slip handles. This makes it easier to grip tools, even when fine motor struggles, such has having CP, come into play. On the OXO website, there are over 700 products that fit into the good grips category. All 700+ of those tools and gadgets have a silicone coating, making gripping the products easier. Even OXO products that don’t have a non-slip coating are still designed with people with disabilities in mind. Every single one of their products is designed with the concept of Universal Design in mind. As someone with a disability, who studied Universal Design in college, I am a firm believer in the idea that everything should be created with Universal Design in mind, because both universal design, and accessibility in general, makes the world easier for everyone, not just those of us with disabilities.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post, my favorite OXO product in my kitchen is their stackable mixing bowl set. Not only do these bowls have the silicone good grips handle that you’ll find on many OXO products, but they also have a silicone base, which is my favorite part. The base makes it easier for the bowls to stay stable, which means I don’t have to worry about having a strong enough grip to hold the bowl steady when I’m mixing. These bowls also have a pour spout, which is key for me when it comes to pouring batter into tins, pans, or trays. Anything that makes for less of a mess in the kitchen is a win in my book!
Another OXO product, that I actually have in two different sizes, is their tongs with silicone heads. These tongs have silicone grips on the tongs themselves, which not only makes it easier to pick up food, but also makes the tongs heat resistant, and allows for scraping without having to worry about damaging the nonstick coating on pots and pans. The tongs are dishwasher safe. Silicone grips are found near the top of the tops as well, giving them the signature non-slip grip that OXO products are known for. No more having to worry about handling hot metal tongs and fearing that you are going to drop them onto an even hotter pan or grill! The tongs lock in place, making storage convenient, and come in both 9” and 15” versions. I have, and use both sizes.
These products are a couple of the ones that I have direct experience with and feel confident personally recommending, but OXO has over 700 to choose from, and way more than just cooking and baking gadgets. I have loved every product of theirs that I have used, and could not recommend them more! I know cooking and baking can be fine motor intensive, but don’t let that scare you! Companies like OXO make it possible for those of us with CP to be able to cook and bake, without having to break the bank on specialized adaptive equipment, because their products are made for everyone!
I hope you’ve enjoyed the CP life hacks series so far — more product reviews coming soon!
